When Conviction Conquers
by Ghille Dhu the Blue
Summary: When spirited off by her spirits when injured by Hades, Lucy is not present on Tenrou Island. Instead, she remains in Fiore. Three years later, in the Grand Magic Tournament, she relights Fairy Tail's fighting spirit, after an unlikely success.


Authors Note: Premise is simple, Lucy by some twist of fate, say when they fought Hades, was pulled into the Spirit Realm. Maybe she got injured badly, and her Spirits acted to preserve her life. As such she wasn't on Tenrou when Acnologia attacked. This is how I envision Lucy, she had proven great innate strength, and I think she without her team to baby her, well, she'd try to fill the gap. Will I continue this as a full length story? Nope, sorry. I just find that the Fairy Tail section lacks AUs of the premise and hope to prompt some.

Do I think Lucy can really beat her opponent, nope. I just for my own gratification made her live up to her name Lucky Lucy and make a damn good showing against the odds. Her opponent was stronger than Lucy, and it really was luck and his reluctance to fight her as an enemy that brought the end results. Also that it has been three years since the Tenrou incident, she was bound to grow stronger. Please bear in mind that I typed this on a Blackberry.

* * *

It was the second day of the Grand Magic Games, and Lucy was the one called up. She gazed at Alzack who clutched his left arm, it was bandaged tightly, creases of pain in his face. Two vulcans were going at it at the pit of her belly, and she felt vulnerable. Natsu wasn't here to cheer her on. A single tear trickled from moist eyes, it had been three years now, since the heart of Fairy Tail had been lost, since she had allowed herself to cry.

Macao with a reassuring gaze, patted her shoulder, a kind smile on his aging face. The past few years had drained him of his handsomeness, hair turning to grey, lines appearing at a quick pace. "Just do your best, Lucy. We're cheering for you!" He reassured her and pushed her out into the arena.

Jet was grumbling under his breath, and if not for the fact that Lucy had good hearing, she would have missed it. "S'not as if we win anything anymore, not since Levy-chan..." Before he was promptly elbowed by Droy into shutting up.

They had lost their hope...Fairy Tail was fading...they were crumbling...their pain so raw inside of them. She knew what she had to do, she had to show them that they had to keep moving forward, that Fairy Tail still existed, and their nakama were cheering them on, wherever they were! She ripped the long sleeves of her blouse, freeing her arms for quicker movement, ignoring the jeers and sneering faces. Let them laugh,she would win this match.

"Jura-san,this was an unfortunate match up. I much prefer fighting alongside you," Lucy inclined her head, deep inside of her, she knew that this match was severely one-sided. She was at best, A-rank, and a very A-level mage at that. Fighting the strongest Lamia Scale mage, it was preposterous. Her hands were shaking, fear welling up inside of her, Jura was on the level of mages like Master Makarov. Even Natsu, Mirajane, Laxus, or Erza couldn't hope to win against someone like this. She glanced at her Guildmates, her fear being replaced by anger. "But I won't give up! I refuse to bow down in defeat! I'll keep fighting until every bone in my body is broken!" Where this was coming from, she didn't know, but she felt as if Natsu was right beside her.

"As it should be, Lucy-dono," the great hulking mage responded, "I won't disrespect such fighting spirit by holding back against a Fairy Tail mage."

Lucy gulped.

This was it, this was the time, the time for her to strike a blow for Fairy Tail, she wouldn't give up. No, Natsu was beside her, she could almost hear him cheering her on, encouraging her, and giving her strength. She wasn't Lucy Heartfilia anymore, she was lucky Lucy, a Fairy Tail member, she was in contract with the ten most powerful keys that a Celestial Spirit mage could own, and she was fighting not for herself, but for the pride of her guild!

Jura moving his hands rapidly and calling out, "Supreme King Rock Crush!" Caused stones appearing from what seemed like everywere to fly at Lucy. Those rocks were going to surround her, encasing her, and ultimately trapping her.

Lucy couldn't overpower his attack, not like Natsu would, but she was smarter than Natsu. Then it struck her! She possessed what was likely the most dangerous Spirit of them all. Gemini! The mimic twins could transform into Jura and use his on magic against him, giving Lucy time to act with a spell that was powerful enough to damage him. They had managed to take him by surprise years ago, hadn't they? Jura was too powerful to win against with power, but with wits, Lucy might just scrape a win.

Uranometria. The Ultimate Magic of the Stars, and something she had exhausted herself endlessly to master. Hibiki, all those years ago had believed in her abilities, and gifted her this spell, and now he would see her use it once more. Although all this seemed to be happening over minutes, mere seconds had passed, and she could tell that Jura despite his words was slowing his attack in order to give her a chance.

Now! She had to act now! She summoned Gemini, not wasting time reaching for the key, and the twins in half a second took the form of Jura, and great slabs of rock surrounded Lucy. Gemini-Jura standing on top of it, and facing the real Jura.

She heard the cracks and thuds as Gemini struggled to hold up against the real Jura. "Gemini, hold on, I'm coming!" She screamed to her spirits. Gemini was strong, but Jura was on a whole other level. He was distracted for now, but Gemini could only do this for so long, and she couldn't spare the magical power to summon any of her other Spirits, not if she wanted to use the caster type spell to its full advantage.

_"Survey the Heaven, open the Heaven...All the stars, far and wide...Show me thy appearance...With such shine,"_ as she spoke, her eyes closed, and arms extended, orbs of light began to converge around Jura, "_...O Tetrabiblos...I am the ruler of the stars...Aspect became complete...Open thy malevolent gate...O 88 Stars of the heaven...Shine!_ Striking a blow for the pride of Fairy Tail."

In the stands, Hibiki Laytis smiled, pride showing on every inch of his face. "Aa, you mastered it, Lucy Heartfilia, just as I knew," he murmured as he stood from his seat, taking in the beautiful sight that he had witnessed only once before. "This is the true strength of a Fairy Tail mage," he commented to some of the younger Guild members. "People have forgotten why three years ago...no one could best Fairy Tail...their fighting spirit was lost...but it seems that it is surging back again...Lucy is so beautiful."

Amidst the dust rising in the air, Jura stood, Gemini having disappeared. The Wizard Saint smiled. "It is not the magic that determines the winner, Lucy-dono, but the conviction, and you poured all your conviction into this battle, and have displayed the spirit of your Guild," he was battered and his clothing damaged as he tipped forwards onto his knees.

The Announcer was silent until someone hit him into speaking. "Jura...lost? Ahh..in a shocking outcome...Lucy Heartfilia, a Fairy Tail mage pulled off a victory against Jura, not in a battle of power, but through conviction. Is this a sign that Fairy Tail is fighting back...will they rise again to the number one status within Fiore...who knows."

The Fairy Tail members present were in an uproar. They had won a match, placing them in sixth place, not much better than in last place, but Lucy had pulled off a lucky victory against Jura...it was unbelievable. Meanwhile, Macao was picking up the blonde, Lucy lay in the dust, her own clothes ripped, and her body battered, not a drop of magical power left. In truth she was worse off than Jura, and in truth, in a real battle, Jura would have been the one to win.

Yet, none of that came up, for the first time since Tenroujima, they laughed and rejoiced with the realisation that just because they had lost the others, they were still here, and Lucy had proven that they could fight onwards, against the odds.


End file.
